A great performance by Montreal's Jaroslav Halak, who was so good at the Olympics in Slovakia's net, eliminated Washington - the third consecutive year that Alex Ovechkin & Co. have been ousted on home ice in a Game 7.

But then Detroit went to Phoenix, ignored the white-out and punished the Coyotes in Game 7 Tuesday. And the Penguins were 3-0 in Ottawa's arena. And the road teams in the Vancouver-Kings series were 3-3.

Why is the crowd so influential in the NBA playoffs and not in hockey? Is it just a differential in tough-mindedness? By rights the visiting team should be the most focused and the least distracted in any sport.

Maybe it's this: hockey players are far less likely to play to the crowd than basketball players are, and thus less likely to be intimidated.

Or maybe it's just the power of one outstanding goalie. And, in Montreal's case, a committed team that blocks an incredible 41 shots. In one game.

It's a team game, of course, but until Ovechkin wins just one big one, he can't be placed on the same level as Stanley Cup winner and Olympic hero Sidney Crosby.

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